Four USA women top ranked after continental championships

Friday, May 27, 2022 - 14:48 By Vinay Siwach

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY (May 26) -- In the last three months, wrestlers have been busy competing at the continental championships to attain ranking points.

With the four tournaments now over, the rankings present a clearer picture of where the wrestlers stand in terms of ranks with only three more events remaining to earn more points.

Bolat Turlykhanov Cup in Almaty, Matteo Pellicone in Rome and Zouhaier Sghaier in Tunis are the Ranking Series events that will help wrestlers earn points and get seeds for the September World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia where the top eight wrestlers will get seeded.

Women's rankings saw major changes and as the points get closer, more wrestlers are entered for the next ranking series event in Almaty.

50kg
Her Olympic bronze, World Championships silver and now the Pan-Am gold has steered Sarah HILDEBRANDT (USA) clear at the top spot at 50kg. The USA wrestler now has 84200 points while world champion Remina YOSHIMOTO (JPN) is second with 55000 points.

Yoshimoto won the Asian title in April to move ahead of Olympic champion Yui SUSAKI (JPN) who has 51000 points. The two are expected to compete against each other for a spot on Japan's World Championships team.

European silver medalist Miglena SELISHKA (BUL) takes the fourth spot with 49900 points while bronze medalist Emilia VUC (ROU) has 49100 points at the fifth position.

Yanan SUN (CHN), Otgonjargal DOLGORJAV (MGL), Nadezhda SOKOLOVA (RWF) and Mariya STADNIK (AZE) occupy the sixth to ninth positions but have not competed since the Olympics or Worlds last year.

Namuuntsetseg TSOGTOCHIR won a silver medal at home at the Asian Championships to increase her points to 31000 and is 10th in the rankings followed by African champion Sarra HAMDI (TUN) [30980 points] at 11th and Pan-Am silver medalist Madison PARKS (CAN) [29200 points] at 12th.

European champion Evin DEMIRHAN (TUR) broke into the top-15 with her gold and now has 21600 points.

Bolortuya BAT-OCHIR (MGL) is the top ranked wrestler at 53kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

53kg
Olympic bronze medalist Bolortuya BATOCHIR missed the Asian Championships but is still the top-ranked wrestler at 53kg with 56200 points, thanks to her gold at the Istanbul Ranking Series.

But the battle for the top five is intense as world champion Akari FUJINAMI (JPN) won her first Asian title as well and is now second with 55000 points.

European Championships bronze Iulia LEORDA (MDA) takes the third spot with 53700 points. She received 6500 points for the effort in Budapest. Luisa VALVERDE (ECU) won silver at the Pan-Am Championships and jumped to fifth spot and has 51000 points, the same as Olympic champion and fourth-placed Mayu MUKAIDA (JPN).

Qianyu PANG (CHN) has 41400 points for the sixth spot but Samantha STEWART (CAN) can overtake her soon as she has 39000 points after finishing fifth at the Pan-Ams.

World bronze medalist Katarzyna KRAWCZYK (POL) is eighth after her bronze at the Euros with 37500 points, 2700 points more than European champion Emma MALMGREN (SWE) [34800 points]. Vanesa KALADZINSKAYA (BWF) rounds off the top-10 as she trails Malmgren by just 600 points at the 10th position.

From 11-16, the ranking gets even closer as Annika WENDLE (GER) has 27520 points at 11th, Khrystyna BEREZA (UKR) has 25000 points at 12th, Zeynep YETGIL (TUR) has 23200 points at 13th, Pan-Am champion Dominique PARRISH (USA) has 23200 points at 14th, while two Tokyo Olympics fifth -- Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) and Joseph ESSOMBE (CMR) -- are 15th and 16th with 23000 points each.

World champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) continues to be at the top at 55kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

55kg
World champion Tsugumi SAKURAI (JPN) continues to lead the rankings with 43000 points. However, she won her first Asian title at 57kg and is expected to stay in that weight. The next best then comes Oleksandra KHOMENETS (UKR) with 37000 points after her silver medal at the European Championships for 8000 points.

World silver Nina HEMMER (GER) is third with 35000 points while bronze at the same tour Jenna BURKERT (USA) is fourth with 29000 points. European champion Andreea ANA (ROU) has 26200 points after her gold which helped her break into the top five.

India's PINKI (IND) is sixth with 23000 points, followed by Olga KHOROSHAVTSEVA (RWF) [23000 points] and Jacarra WINCHESTER (USA) [19000 points], Mehlika OZTURK (TUR) [18100 points] and African champion Esther KOLAWOLE (NGR) [15000 points] in the top-10.

Pan-Am champion Karla GODINEZ (CAN) debuted in the rankings with 10000 points and takes the 12th spot.

Helen MAROULIS (USA) leads the 57kg rankings with 79200 points. (Photo: UWW / Tony Rotundo)

57kg
Helen MAROULIS (USA) skipped the Pan-Am Championships but her bronze at the Olympics and gold at Worlds have helped her pocket 79200 points to be number one in the rankings.

A close second is Evelina NIKOLOVA (BUL) with 72200 points as she won the Istanbul Ranking Series gold after her Olympic bronze and later added a European silver medal. World silver medalist Anshu MALIK (IND) won another silver at the Asian Championships to be back in the top three with 58500 points.

Iryna KURACHKINA (BWF) has 51600 points to be fourth followed by Olympic champion Risako KAWAI (JPN) [51000 points]. Veronika CHUMIKOVA (RWF) is sixth with 35200 points.

In the absence of Maroulis, Giullia DE OLIVEIRA (BRA) had a chance to win the Pan-Am gold but she ended up with a bronze which gave her only 6500 points. She now has 32180 points at the seventh spot.

Silver at Pan-Ams Alma ESCOTO (MEX) is 10th with 29300 points while Solomiia VYNNYK (UKR) is 11th with 25000 points.

Khongorzul BOLDSAIKHAN (MGL) and Valeria KOBLOVA (ROC) were fifth at the Olympics and are 12th and 13th in the rankings with 23000 points each.

Junior world champion Nilufar RAIMOVA (KAZ) comes in at number 14 with 20500 points while Bolortuya KHURELKHUU is at 15th with 17900 points.

Second placed Sarita MOR (IND), right, has the best chance to replace world champ Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) at the top at 59kg. (Photo: UWW / Kadir Caliskan)

59kg
No one has been able to overtake world champion Bilyana DUDOVA (BUL) as the top-ranked wrestler. She has 45000 points from the Worlds and still sits at the top. Silver to her at Worlds Akie HANAI (JPN) is third with 37000 points.

Separating the two is bronze medalist Sarita MOR (IND) with 38050 points. She moved past Hanai with a bronze at the Asian Championships for 3250 points. Fourth is Shoovdor BAATARJAV (MGL) with 35000 points after her silver medal at the Asian Championships.

She was fourth at the European Championships but the 58000 points helped Alyona KOLESNIK (AZE) move from ninth to fifth as she now has 28300 points, 3300 points more than sixth-placed Maya NELSON (USA). Sara LINDBORG (SWE) has 25000 points in the seventh spot while Jowita WRZESIEN (POL) has 24400 points to be eighth.

European champion Anastasia NICHITA (MDA) has 21000 points as she also won the Istanbul event. Linda MORAIS (CAN) has 18200 points to be ranked 10th.

Sandra PARUSZEWSKI (SWE) has 17000 points at 11th, Krystsina SAZYKINA (BWF) has 15500 points at 12th, Ebru DAGBASI (TUR) has 10880 points at 13th and Elif YANIK (TUR) has 10600 points at 14th.

African champion Odunayo ADEKUOROYE (NGR) debuts in the rankings at 15th with 10000 points.

Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) has 94400 points at the top at 62kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

62kg
She may not have won gold medals at Istanbul Ranking Series and Asian Championships but Aisuluu TYNYBEKOVA (KGZ) has an enormous lead over her opponents at 62kg. She won a silver at Olympics, gold at Worlds and silver at Asians to have 94400 points at the top.

The next best wrestler is Olympic bronze and European champion Taybe YUSEIN (BUL) with 53200 points followed by World and Pan-Am silver medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) who has 51200 points. Yukako KAWAI (JPN) has 51000 points at fourth with Lais NUNES (BRA) at fifth with 43900 points.

Japan's new sensation at 62kg Nonoka OZAKI (JPN) is fifth with 41000 points as she won bronze at the Worlds and gold at the Asian Championships.

Two Ukraine wrestlers take the seventh and eighth spots as Iryna KOLIADENKO (UKR) has 34200 points while Ilona PROKOPEVNIUK (UKR) has 31500 points.

World bronze medalist Gantuya ENKHBAT (MGL) has been pushed down to ninth as she has 31000 points while Pan-Am champ Ana GODINEZ (CAN) has risen to 10th with 27000 points.

African champion Marwa AMRI (TUN) added 10000 points to be 12th in the rankings as she now has 24000 points.

Luisa NIEMESCH (GER) with 21300 points is 15th in the rankings.

Pan-Am champion Forrest MOLINARI (USA) is the top ranked wrestler at 65kg. (Photo: UWW / Osvaldo Aguilar)

65kg
Forrest MOLINARI (USA) had replaced world champion Irina RINGACI (MDA) at the top by winning gold in Istanbul and now she is 5000 points clear at the top with the Pan-Am title. She now has 49000 points against Ringaci's 45000 points. Miwa MORIKAWA (JPN) added the Asian title to her World silver to be third with 42000 points.

The rest of the field lags behind in points as fourth-placed Malin MATTSSON (SWE) has only 31000 points followed by Mimi HRISTOVA (BUL) at fifth with 25000 points. Maryia MAMASHUK (BWF) also has 25000 points but is sixth.

European silver medalist Elis MANOLOVA (AZE) has 24400 points at the seventh position while bronze medalist Kriszta INCZE (ROU) has 23220 points to be eighth. Dinara KUDAEVA (RWF) [19350 points] takes the ninth spot.

European champion Tetiana RIZHKO (UKR) breaks into the top-10 at 10th with 19000 points for her title and 11th position at the World Championships.

The points she collected at the Olympics and World Championships -- 18200 -- take Koumba LARROQUE (FRA) to the 11th spot. Asli DEMIR (TUR) is 12th with 17000 points and Aina TEMIRTASSOVA (KAZ) is 13th with 15500 points.

After winning a bronze at the Istanbul Ranking event, Khadija JLASSI (TUN) won a silver medal at the African Championships to earn 14200 points and move to the 14th spot. Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL) rounds off the top-15 with 13280 points.

Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) has 91600 points at the top spot at 68kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

68kg
Olympic champion Tamyra MENSAH STOCK (USA) missed the gold at World Championships and then skipped the Pan-Am Championships which allowed world champion Meerim ZHUMANAZAROVA (KGZ) to take the top spot at 68kg with 91600 points. Mensah has 80000 points at the second position. Zhumanazarova, however, will rue the fact that she could not create a bigger cap as she missed out on gold at the Istanbul event and Asian Championships.

In Istanbul, Olympic silver medalist Blessing OBORUDUDU (NGR) won gold and followed that up with the African title to be ranked third with 74400 points.

Others are playing catch-up in the rankings as Khanum VELIEVA (RWF) is fourth with 49200 points followed by world silver Rin MIYAJI (JPN) with 35000 points.

Alla CHERKASOVA (UKR) is sixth with 34200 points and 1000 points behind her is Adela HANZLICKOVA (CZE) at seventh. Tokyo Olympics fifth-placers Battsetseg SORONZONBOLD (MGL) and Sara DOSHO (JPN) take the eighth and ninth spots as both have 23000 points each. Fith at the World Championships Olivia DI BACCO (CAN) also has 23000 points and is 10th.

The top-15 places are rounded off by Feng ZHOU (CHN) [16200 points], Anastasiia LAVRENCHUK (UKR) [16200 points], Ambar FLORES (MEX) [15400 points], Anna SCHELL (GER) [13500 points] and Danute DOMIKAITYTE (LTU) [13500 points].

Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) remains the top ranked wrestler at 72kg. (Photo: UWW / Bayrem Ben Mrad)

72kg
Zhamila BAKBERGENOVA (KAZ) continues to be at the top at 72kg with 48000 points while Anna SCHELL (GER) is second with 45400 points as he moved ahead of arch-rival Buse TOSUN (TUR) 41000 points who is fourth. Separating them at third is Masako FURUICHI (JPN) who has 43000 points.

Fifth-placed Davaanasan ENKH-AMAR (MGL) is lagging behind with just 26250 points followed by Cynthia VESCAN (FRA) who has 23000 points. Divya KAKRAN (IND) takes the seventh spot with 16200 points.

Anastasiya ZIMIANKOVA (BWF) with 15000 points is eighth while Sofiya GEORGIEVA (BUL) is ninth with 13500 points. Junior world champion Kylie WELKER (USA) tops off the top-10 as she has 12300 points.

Alexandra ANGHEL (ROU) has 10200 points at 11th, Kseniia BURAKOVA (RWF) is 12th with 9400 points, Zsuzsanna MOLNAR (SVK) has 7000 points at 13th, Kendra DACHER (FRA) takes the 14th spot with 6500 points.

Yuliana YANEVA (BUL) has 6500 points to finish in the top-15 rankings at 72kg.

Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ), blue, can overtake world champion Adeline GRAY (USA) at the top at 76kg. (Photo: UWW / Martin Gabor)

76kg
Adeline GRAY (USA) will not be at the World Championships which means Aiperi MEDET KYZY (KGZ) has the opportunity to take the top rank and seed. Gray still leads the ranking with 86400 points but Medet Kyzy has 77000 points and has three tournaments to go past Gray.

World bronze and African champion Samar HAMZA (EGY) will also fancy her chances for the top seed as she has 61100 points at third. But it will a big task for her. Moreover, European silver medalist Epp MAE (EST) has 60000 points at fourth and can go past Hamza.

Olympic champion Aline ROTTER FOCKEN (GER) has 51000 points for her gold but is retired and cannot move up. But bronze medalist in Tokyo and European champion Yasemin ADAR (TUR) can break into the top three as she has 44200 points at the sixth spot.

Qian ZHOU (CHN) is number seven with 34200 points and is likely to get a seed at Worlds if she is registered in September.

Anastasiia SHUSTOVA (UKR) and Kiran GODARA (IND) have 25000 points each to take the eighth and ninth positions respectively while Hiroe MINAGAWA (JPN) rounds off the top-10 with 23000 points.

Francy RAEDELT (GER) has 21500 points at 11th, Elmira SYZDYKOVA (KAZ) has 19700 points at 12th and Zagardulam NAIGALSUREN (MGL) has 18200 points at the 13th position.

Yasuha MATSUYUKI (JPN) takes the 14th spot with 17000 points while Gulmaral YERKEBAYEVA (KAZ) is 15th with 16700 points.

#wrestlebishkek

Six countries win Paris quotas at Asian qualifier

Friday, April 19, 2024 - 04:08 By Ken Marantz & Vinay Siwach

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (April 19) -- Six countries earned two Paris Olympic spots each in Freestyle on the first day of the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Hosts Kyrgyzstan won at 57kg and 65kg while Iran added quotas at 74kg and 97kg. Japan earned the Paris spots at 65kg and 86kg and Uzbekistan got it at 57kg and 74kg. Kazakhstan pulled off the spots at 97kg and 125kg while Mongolia was successful at 86kg and 125kg.

125kg wrap: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) earns a ticket to a second straight Olympics at 125kg, while denying Zhiwei DENG (CHN) for now what would be his third trip, by gaining an activity point in each period for a 2-0 win. Munkhtur's victory in the clash between the losers of the bronze-medal matches in Tokyo, gives Mongolia its second Paris quota of the night.

Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) held on to a 7-3 win over Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) to win the second Paris 2024 quota for Kazakhstan and deny Bahrain its second. Batirmurzaev scored a takedown and used his strong gut wrench to deny Sharipov.

97kg: Iran filled its fifth Freestyle quota for the Paris Olympics as Zagreb Open champion Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) defeated Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) 3-0 at 97kg. Azarpira got a point for Ganbaatar's passivity and then scored a takedown in the second period to win. 57kg is the only weight in which Iran has not qualified for the Paris Olympics.

Three-time Asian medalist Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) earns a ticket to Paris and a possible second Olympics for himself at 97kg by edging Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) 3-2 at 97kg. Yergali takes a 2-0 lead in the first period with an activity point and a stepout off a takedown attempt. In the second, Habila was on the activity clock again when he got in on a single leg. But the clock ran out before the Chinese could finish off the takedown, leaving Yergali ahead 3-2. The outcome was a virtual replay of Yergali's 2-1 win over Habila in the first round at last year's World Championships.

86kg wrap: Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) needs just 34 seconds to book his ticket to Paris, gaining a takedown and then reeling off four quick gut wrenches to defeat Gwanuk KIM (KOR) 10-0. Ishiguro, a 2023 Asian bronze medalist and 2018 world junior champion at 79kg, did not have to wrestle in the afternoon session, as he received a victory by default in his lone match. It gives Japan a fourth Paris quota in freestyle.

Mongolia gets on the Paris 2024 quota list as Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) wins a snooze fest against Zushen LIN (CHN). After Lin got one point for Byambasuren's passivity, Lin failed to score in the second period when he was put on the activity clock. Byambasuren held on to that 1-1 criteria win and the quota.

74kg wrap: Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) shows he still has a lot of life left in his 34-year-old body when he earns a shot at a third career Olympics with a well-executed 6-0 victory at 74kg over home favorite Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ). Abdurakhmonov came out firing from the opening whistle, scoring a lightning-quick single-leg takedown that caught his opponent so off guard, that he was able to lift him full up in the air and slam him to the mat, where he then immediately went to a high-chest roll. Toktomambetov gets in a deep single in the second period, but two-time world bronze medalist Abdurakhmonov starts a counter scramble that ends with him on top for a takedown.

Iran now has its fourth Paris 2024 quota in Freestyle as Yones EMAMI (IRI) puts on a takedown show to beat Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) in three minutes and 49 seconds. Emami had failed to win a quota at the World Championships after losing to Zaurbek SIDAKOV (AIN) and later to Hetik CABALOV (SRB) in the repechage. But a dominant performance in Bishkek sees him tick one more spot for Iran.

65kg wrap: Kyrgyzstan picked up its second Freestyle quota for Paris 2024 as Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) posted a controlled 5-3 win over Kwang Jin KIM (PRK). Trailing 2-1 at the break, Akmataliev got a takedown in the second period before being awarded a point for Kim's passivity. The two exchanged stepouts but Akmataliev led 5-3 with little time left for Kim to score a takedown for a win.

Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) picked up Japan's third quota in Paris -- and a chance to keep the 65kg Olympic gold in Japanese hands -- with a comprehensive 11-0 victory over Shaohua YUAN (CHN). Kiyooka used a low single to maximum effect to score two takedowns in the first period which, combined with an activity point, gave him a 5-0 lead. In the second, he landed a double-leg takedown, applied the lace lock and rolled twice to end the match in 4:30. Kiyooka knocked off Tokyo Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) to earn the right to represent Japan in Bishkek. His victory came six days after his younger sister Moe won the women's 55kg gold at the Asian Championships in the same venue.

57kg wrap: Kyrgyzstan won the first Paris 2024 quota of the Asian OG Qualifier as Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), winner of this year's Yasar Dogu tournament in Turkey and a two-time world U23 bronze medalist, pulled a ticket to Paris out of his hat with a counter takedown with 14 seconds to edge Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 3-3 on criteria. After each received an activity point that gave the Kyrgyz the lead on criteria, Batkhuyag fought out of a deep double-leg takedown to score a takedown with a minute left to go ahead 3-1. Batkhuyag grabs a single and tries to hang on for dear lift, but Almaz Uulu breaks the hold and gets behind to give Kyrgyzstan its first freestyle quota in Paris.

The second Paris quota at 57kg was won by Uzbekistan as Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) pinned 2023 Asian champion AMAN (IND) in the first period. Abdullaev used a takedown before hitting a duckunder for four. He used a takedown and roll and kept Aman on his back to secure the fall.

Here are the qualification bouts for Paris 2024

57kg
Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) vs. Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL)
Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) vs. AMAN (IND)

65kg
Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) vs. Shaohua YUAN (CHN)
Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) vs. Kwang Jin KIM (PRK)

74kg
Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) vs. Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ)
Nurkozha KAIPANOV (KAZ) vs. Yones EMAMI (IRI)

86kg
Gwanuk KIM (KOR) vs. Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN)
Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) vs. Zushen LIN (CHN)

97kg
Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) vs. Awusayiman HABILA (CHN)
Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) vs. Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI)

125kg
Zhiwei DENG (CHN) vs. Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL)
Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN) vs. Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ)

12:50: Zagreb Open champion Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) proves too high of a hurdle for rising Japanese star Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) to overcome, pulling away in the second period for a 9-1 win at 97kg. Azarpira extended his lead to 3-1 early in the second period with a third stepout while on the activity clock, then began piling up the points.

12:48: Former world champion Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ) turned his match around in a hurry, overcoming a six-point deficit in the second period to chalk up a 12-6 win at Tsogbadrakh TSEVEENSUREN (MGL). Akmataliev starts the comeback with a takedown and two gut wrenches to go ahead on criteria. But he doesn't stop there, adding a 4-point counter lift, and still having time to add a takedown.

12:45: Umidjon JALOLOV (UZB) led 2-0 after two passivity points against Kwang Jin KIM (PRK). But Jalolov gets called for fleeing and is docked a caution and one. A stepout for Kim makes it 2-2 criteria lead for him. Jalolov can't match the pace of Kim who gets a stepout and fleeing to win 5-2.

12:38: In the candidate for Match of the Day, Shaohua YUAN (CHN) outlasts Maiis ALIYEV (KAZ) with a wild 16-15 win at 65kg. Yuan is leading 4-2 when in a wild flurry, Aliyev gets 4, Yuan gets 4, then Aliyev gets 3, giving the Kazakh at 9-8 lead going into the second period. The madness doesn't stop there, as Aliyev goes ahead with two takedowns, only for Yuan to storm back with an arm throw for 2 and a chest lift for 4. Yuan gets a stepout that could have gone either way, and Aliyev scores a takedown with :03 left. He tries a lace lock, but it is ruled too late, and an unsuccessful challenge point is tacked on.

12:27: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN) with five takedowns to beat Junsik YUN (KOR) 10-0 and enter the semifinals at 65kg. He has to win one more bout to qualify Japan for the Paris Games.

12:22: China and Korea go at it on adjacent mats, and the Chinese take both. Two-time Olympian and two-time world medalist Zhiwei DENG (CHN), who placed fifth in Tokyo, gets a takedown and gut wrench in the first period and beats Yeihyun JUNG (KOR) 5-0 at 125kg. At 97kg, Asian Games bronze medalist Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) scores a takedown and exposure in the last 20 seconds to put away a fatigued Juhwan SEO (KOR) 6-2.

12:22: Shamil SHARIPOV (BRN), who won a bronze medal in the just completed Asian Championships, gets his points in the first period and makes it hold up in a 2-1 victory over Khasanboy RAKHIMOV (UZB) at 125kg.

12:20: Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) with a pin over Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB). He hits two four-pointers for a 12-5 lead before 40-year-old Ibragimov just gave up.

12:11: In a 74kg quarterfinal with non-stop action, two-time world medalist Yones EMAMI (IRI) proves too much for Byungmin GONG (KOR), scoring four takedowns on counters in the second period for a 15-4 win. The two put together an 11-point first period when Emami scored three takedowns against Gong's two.

12:10: Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) gives no chance to Erzo ISAKOV (JOR) and wins his 86kg quarterfinal 7-1 and advances to the semifinal.

12:10: Tokyo Olympian Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) finishes off Andrey ARONOV (KGZ) with a 4-point takedown in a 10-0 victory at 97kg.

12:01: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ) hangs for a thrilling 3-2 win over Wanhao ZOU (CHN) at 57kg. Almaz Uulu gets a stepout to lead 1-1 on criteria at the break. In the second period, he gets a stepout with Zou on the activity clock, which gives him a 3-1 lead when it expires. Zou drives him out, but what could have been a takedown was ruled a stepout, and Almaz Uulu managed the run out the clock the rest of the way.

12::00: Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) with a leg lace to end SUMIT's (IND) Olympic hopes in Bishkek. He advances to the 125kg semifinals and is a win away from the Paris Olympic quota.

11:57: Bekzod ABDURAKHMONOV (UZB) in a high-scoring battle with top seed Feng LU (CHN) but comes out on top with a fall at 74kg. The Uzbek star led 15-9 before he got the fall 23 seconds into the second period.

11:56: Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) hits a textbook-perfect lateral drop to throw Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) onto his back before securing a fall at 2:49 and booking his place in tonight's 125kg Olympic qualifying match.

11:50: Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) gives up a takedown to JAIDEEP (IND), then comes back with one of his own, and that makes the difference as he holds on to win 2-2 on last-point criteria in their 74kg quarterfinal.

11:50: Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) shows the perfect strategy against Chongsong HAN (PRK) to advance to the 57kg semifinals. He was put on the activity clock in the first period but hit a cradle to lead 4-1. Han is called for blocking with hands and Abdullaev wins 7-1. He faces AMAN (IND) for a Paris 2024 quota

11:45: Asian Games bronze medalist Kwang Jin KIM (PRK) advances to the 65kg quarterfinals by rolling to a 9-0 victory over Jelaletdin SEYIDOV (TKM).

11:43: AMAN (IND) books his spot in the 57kg semifinals with an 11-1 win over Sunggwon KIM (KOR). Slow off the blocks, Aman ups the charge in the second period and wins 11-1

11:41: Iran dealt with a huge blow! Ahmad JAVAN (IRI) drops his 57kg quarterfinals to Munkh Erdene BATKHUYAG (MGL) 14-3. Two four-pointers, a takedown and two rolls for Batkhuyag.

11:37: Young Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) continues to impress, powering his way to a 10-0 victory over DEEPAK (IND) at 97kg. Yoshida will next face Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) for a spot in the semifinals, a meeting with an opponent from his father's country of origin.

11:30: Gwanuk KIM (KOR, an Olympian in 2016, took a step toward making it to Paris by holding off Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) for a 6-5 victory at 86kg.

11:29: Kotaro KIYOOKA (JPN), who beat Olympic champion Takuto OTOGURO (JPN) to represent Japan in Bishkek, wins his first bout over Abdulmazhid KUDIEV (TJK) 10-7. A strong leg-lace game from Kiyooka to keep Kudiev at bay. Last week, Kiyooka's sister, Moe won the Asian Championships at 55kg

11:21: Former 70kg world silver medalist Ernazar AKMATALIEV (KGZ), looking to make his first Olympics at 65kg, cruises to a 10-0 victory over Mohammed KAREEM (IRQ). Akmataliev gets a takedown and three exposures for an 8-0 lead, then uses a counter lift for 2 to finish the match in 2:29.

11:19: 2022 Asian champion Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) puts Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) in a power battle and gives no chance to Yamamoto to even attack. A 10-0 technical superiority win for the former world silver medalist.

11:16: Andrey ARONOV (KGZ) avoids becoming the first Kyrgyz wrestler to lose when he rallies to a 10-9 victory over Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) at 97kg. He will next face top seed Alisher YERGALI (KAZ).

11:14: Byungmin GONG (KOR), the 2021 Asian champion at 79kg, follows his second takedown by applying a lace lock against 2023 Asian bronze medalist Suldkhuu OLONBAYAR (MGL) at 74kg. Three quick rolls and it's over.

11:10: Big match on Mat C as Yeihyun JUNG (KOR) scores a stepout in the final second to pull off an incredible win over Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM). Jung led 6-4 but Saparov kept coming back and took a 9-9 criteria lead before Jung got a single-leg attack to finish outside the zone. A lost challenge from Turkmenistan made it 11-9

11:06: Ahmad JAVAN (IRI), looking to fill one of the three quotas that Iran still lacks in freestyle, gets off to a slow start but pours it on in the second period for a 10-0 win over Aiaal BELOLYUBSKII (TJK) at 57kg.

11:03: Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ), the 2021 Asian champion, with the fall over Zaman ANWAR (PAK) at 125kg. He will face Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) in the quarterfinals.

11:00: Did Bekzod ABDURAKHAMOV (UZB) survive a pin there? Magomet EVLOEV (TJK) had him a cradle but Abdurakhamov made it out of the hold and hung on for a 6-4 lead. He scores two takedowns in the second period to win 10-6 at 74kg.

10:58: Asian Games bronze medalist Orozobek TOKTOMAMBETOV (KGZ) scores all of his points in the second period to defeat Magomedrasul ASLUEV (BRN) 7-1 at 74kg. A takedown to a gut wrench, then a counter lift for 2 followed by a stepout does the trick for Toktomambetov.

10:50: AMAN (IND), the 2023 Asian champion and Asian Games bronze medalist, makes short work of Yerassyl MUKHTARULY (KAZ) with a 10-0 victory in their opening match 57kg.

10:50: Alp BEGENJOV (TKM) hit a solid arm throw for four over JAIDEEP (IND) but the Indian remains calm and pins Begenjov 30 seconds before the break to advance at 74kg

10:46: Chongsong HAN (PRK) takes a minute and five seconds to see off Gayan KATHURANGANA (PRK) in the 57kg qualification bout. His next opponent is Gulomjon ABDUALLEV (UZB).

10:45: Veteran Junsik YUN (KOR), trailing 5-1 at one point in the second period, storms back and defeats Alibeg ALIBEGOV (BRN) 6-6 on criteria with a stepout with seven seconds left at 65kg.

10:43: Bekzat ALMAZ UULU (KGZ), a two-time world U23 bronze medalist, gives the home team a victory to open the proceedings on Mat B, defeating Ali ABURUMAILA (PLE) 9-2 at 57kg.

10:44: A 43-second pin for Tokyo Olympian Gulomjon ABDULLAEV (UZB) over Kabe MATJANOV (TKM). A solid arm-bar pin from Abdullaev to advance at 57kg.

10:43: The first match in 57kg and Sunggwon KIM (KOR) holds on for a 1-1 win over Khattab AL ANI (IRQ) after two passivity calls.

10:30: The first day of the Asian Olympic Qualifier with six Freestyle weights classes. Bishkek is ready for it

Four USA women top ranked after continental championships

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Six countries win Paris quotas at Asian qualifier